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Benefits of Affiliation

Benefits of Affiliation

Benefits for clubs

Club affiliation and athlete registration form part of the UKA Rules for competition. Eligibility to enter competitions as a club or individual depends on affiliation (club) and registration (individual) status. Please see www.uka.org.uk/competitions/rules for full information.

Clubs affiliated to England Athletics gain many advantages. These include:

Athletes able to compete in competition only open to 'first claim' athletes

Insurance for affiliated clubs and their members

Funding programmes to benefit affiliated clubs

Eligibility for club places at the Virgin Money London Marathon - allocated based upon number of registered athletes aged over 18

Dedicated support for clubs from Club Support Managers

Subsidised training events for club members

Visits to clubs from expert coaches to support athlete development - Flying Coach visits

Discounts on coaching courses for registered club members (Coaching Assistant, Athletics Coach and Coach in Running Fitness qualification)

Club member welfare support and DBS record checking

Eligibility to take part in 'Great Club Challenge' at the 'Great Run' series

Resources and training programmes to support club development

National Championships across a wide range of event groups and disciplines

Ability to contest club competitions

National and regional award programme to recognise the efforts of the volunteer

Specialist national and regional events, seminars and conferences to support coaches, officials, athletes and volunteers

Development of up-to-date resources for coaches, teachers and officials

Specialist conferences and technical workshops for coaches, teachers and officials

Introducing athletics to young people through the club–school links project

Working with established bodies to secure more investment for talent development

Note: Competition licence cards will not be sent out to new registered athletes between 31 January and the start of the new affiliation year. Paid up registered athletes are still fully eligible for competition and will be allocated a registration number.

Benefits for registered athletes

The importance of affiliation and registration in athletics

Club affiliation and athlete registration are a vital part of the sport of athletics. They bring great benefits which allow the sport to function effectively and fairly. The reasons a club should affiliate and athletes should be registered include:

clubs and athletes that are affiliated or registered with England Athletics have rights with regards to support, services and resources. These benefits include insurance, club places at the London Marathon, specialist coaching visits to clubs and preferential entries to events. To administer these and other benefits fairly and effectively it is important for us to know who our affiliated clubs and registered athletes are.

athletes and clubs have the right to fair competition. Both clubs and athletes have the right to compete in confidence that they are competing against legitimate opposition, and not against opposition which is ineligible. For appropriate checks, monitoring and enforcement to be made affiliation and registration are necessary

athletes and clubs have the right to information. They have the right to be contacted directly with essential information about the sport rather than having to rely on this being passed on indirectly or second-hand. Registration allows this to happen and for each athlete to make personal decisions about whether to receiving different types of non-essential information. This also reduces the burden on other people, often volunteers, who would otherwise be relied upon to communicate this information.

athletes and clubs have the right to have their voice heard, and to have a say in how the sport is run. This requires two-way communication between England Athletics and its athletes. Affiliation and registration enables this to happen

athletes and clubs have the right to know that appropriate standards are upheld in the areas of health, safety and welfare when they are participating in the sport. Licensing and registration help to enable the monitoring and enforcement necessary for the observance of these standards throughout the sport

the information and communication that is made possible through club affiliation and athlete registration also help us to provide clubs and athletes with support and opportunities to help them maximise their potential and get as much enjoyment from the sport as possible.